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Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Groups on Social Media (Especially SWOTS)
which are meant to be for free are violating policies where by they state that
if a business wants to post about its services then they must pay for it which
is illegal (talking about the travel GHQ SWOTS group) – this is against the
policies of Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/help/community/question/?id=10201606302031122

Members join SWOTS to get help and
information from within a community as they need help or advice and have had a
tough time somewhere already.However
the Admins of SWOT are not at all informed about anything and only post biased
posts as far as their personal experiences go!Their rebuttals and responses are emotionally based and always not
supported with a link from a credible source!So basically as group owners they are violating the cyber crime bill of
Pakistan and giving false information which can lead to additional
complications / problems for the members emotionally & financially!Here are the consequences of doing or
endorsing such actsand what the Cyber
Crime Bill is all about - http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1421399434_340.pdf

The admins when questioned act like Demi Gods
and try to put down anyone who does not agree to their comments! There have also been a lot of rumors online (google them) where lot of the Admins use their status in the
SWOT’s food group to bully actual restaurant owners into freebies and black
mail a lot of people in many ways and abuse their power (If you think I am
wrong simply Google Complaints Against
Facebook SWOT Admins ) & links like this one will pop up http://mediamagick.com/facebook-group-admins-demi-gods/

It is extremely sad as I was informing
everyone about travel concerns and one of the Admins started rebutting
everything I would post with reference links!His opinions were based upon
personal experiences.His profile stated
that he was in Spain so when I questioned him about his experience to comment
on every post without proof it got ugly!

When I stated he was wrong and provided links and facts to support my argument - things got ugly!

I
also asked why he did not approve my post to do a community event for the groups
members who reached out to me and he refused to answer that rather he just kept
getting more and more personal and when I said kick me out (if you feel I am
violating any rules ) eventually he did for no reason – a lot of the community
members wanted help and I took time to do some good but this illiterate
attention craving admin could not see it! https://drive.google.com/open?id=1N22HwIIsSRMAfxBGKUX0bj1q0bb18ybZ3gTvLBe4_pQ

Eventually I looked him up and who he was before I asked why the
comments about Pakistan Travel if he was in Spain to which a member said he was based in
Karachi not Barcelona – when I asked him why this false location the (Admin) chap said for tax purposes and
his real business is to sell potato something’s and beer???He did everything to make into a personal
debate and get into a conflict but had no answer for any of my questions
supported with factsother than he was
doing something in selling potato something and beer (is that even legal in
Pakistan to state on a group that you sell beer without a license?)Well as the Admin / owner of the group he
left a digital foot print so lets get the answer to that question here

When no respect was given to the objective question I promised to write
this blog and within minutes I was kicked out!My objective was to help fellow community members and his was to be a
smart ass bully!It is so sad that
un-educated, ill informed people are admins of such groups who use some sort
ofSocial media status to bully and get
their way around those who are not informed!It is extremely disgusting that people actually believe people like
this!

Please note that all groups are not bad and I
am only stating my personal reasons how a supposed social media authority
(really?) treated and disrespected me!Rather than address my questions he acted like a brat and made me feel
totally unwelcome in every sense by making unqualified, un researched comments
based upon his own travel experiences without any supporting evidence on
subjects like visa information etc, that the community members wanted to know
about and be educated about!

This is NOT personal and I’m sure the
gentleman may be a wonderful man in his own capacity and I do not judge him as
a person because I do not know him in person but seriously question his ability
to manage a group where people have joined seeking help and information from
the way he behaved with me.

Today Social media is misused by many people
but with the changing laws globally one must adhere to a code of ethics leave
alone common sense because there are consequences for ALL the administrators of
the group who if they do not protest will also be held liable under this bill
here - http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1421399434_340.pdf

Please leave a comment if such a thing happened with you
– good or bad!Please be objective and
not personal

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Two days ago I asked a question on SWOTS guide group as to
why people keep asking for the same old destinations like Thailand, Malaysia,
Sri Lanka & Dubai. I got so many inbox messages from people and friends
which made me realize two things.(these
are my observations and you do not have to agree with them but this is what I
realized)

1.Everyone is impulsive and do not plan their
travel or holidays out – mostly people do not take time or have the time to sit
as a family and decide what they want to do and what their objectives areso they try to cram way too much in the form
of expectations in their tour which when once paid for is non refundable if not
used so a relaxing trip can become a stressful nightmare running from one
attraction to the next venue to attend something else (people need to calmly
first sit down and decide what their priorities are or will be partying or
cultural sights etc. or cater to the kids)

2.Everyone is relying on everyone or someone else
and their experiences and has not got the time or the knowledge to decipher the
hidden things online when it comes to travelling!

3.Finding a decent travel agent who will guide you
properly is a nightmare as travel agents in Pakistan or India only want to work
on low effort – high commission based revenue destinations due their internal
settings with airlines and the biggest excuse they throw to force people to buy
the same boring packages is based upon visa complications and timelines.

Based upon these frustrations vented by the community
members in a huge volume via whatsapp and inbox messages I decided to list down
a few alternatives and why you should definitely go there – Please bear in mind
I am extremely concerned about many things as when I travel for fun or leisure
I need to consider a 3 year old toddlers needs as well as a 10 year old sons
needs who wants to explore everything and gets bored within a minute as well as
plan the tour so that my wife truly gets a break in this whole trip as she is a
full time mom and working parent like me so she is the biggest priority. Also getting the biggest value for money is my
concern as well.

You may not like or agree with these destinations as your
social circle may find them not as cool as they believe them to be but I
strongly believe you should go to these Pakistan friendly places at least once
in your life with the family!

NOTE – Airline ticket rates are subject to season
and change daily as do hotel rates so I can only give rough guesstimates
wherever possible – you need to see your travel agent for that and with regard
to visas and their regulations – don’t be fooled rather refer to this link on
WikiPedia which is daily updates https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Pakistani_citizens
if you are still confused as a Pakistani citizen then simply google the nearest
consulate or embassy and look up details there or it would be better to call
your self!

KENYA – AFRICA

I recommend Kenya a lot as its simply awesome to spend the
evening in your own family tent in the jungle with others around you and wake
up to see lions, cheetahs and giraffes wandering around.Forget what anyone will tell you but being
Visa on Arrival for Pakistanis it is an amazing place to go for a week as your
kids will totally go wild with awe. Kenyan Airlines is Awesome but if you fly
through emirates you can simply tie in a few days in Dubai for a few extra
dollars to get those seasonal shopping discounts!

BAKU – AZERBAIJAN

Now this is an awesome destination as its 30 days e-visa for
Pakistanis – again it’s a great place to see the sights and is very friendly
towards our people.If you go in winters
you get the European Experience of snow and all the fun activities the city has
and also get a lot of great shopping deals (maximum time I would recommend
there is not more than 4 – 5 days) – oh yes the food is also halal and great –
you must try the local vendors

KATMANDU - NEPAL

If you want the scariest landing that a plane can do which
will be scarier BUT safer than Chitral or Gilgit then Katmandu is the airport
to land in.Being Visa on arrival it is
the best place to walk in the clouds – so if you thought murree was gorgeous
you will simply go insane with all the activities to do with your family and
the places to see – they love our people and the food choices are amazing and
it’s a cheap flight but I would not recommend you spend more than 5 -6 days if
you have kids.

ISTANBUL (OR) TURKEY

I love this country as it loves people from my country and
it has the most beautiful of the west being half in Europe and then half in
Asia.Oh yes its got a massive muslim
population and has some of the most amazing architecture in the form of Mosques
Cathedrals and Shopping areas.The food
is cheap and it has everything from great urban shopping deals to rural seaside
golf courses in Antalya that you can relax and chill out at!Turkish Airlines is the best carrier to fly
there and the visa is easy to get if your paperwork and travel agent is solid –
it took my wife & family 6 days to get her visa as there was a weekend
involved and it was painless at all and the consulate in Karachi was very
polite and extremely helpful. Again a country with so much to offer yet easy on
the wallet

DOHA – QATAR

Everyone thinks about Dubai yet does not realize that Qatar
is simply rocking because right now it is what Dubai was in the 1990’s.Their airline Q-Air Qatar Airways is
excellent and their new airport Hamad International Airport is a city by its
self that is amazing - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamad_International_Airport
- Doha can be seen within a whole day as it’s a small city but it has some
amazing shopping malls http://www.lifeinqatar.com/Pages/en/listing-category/living/shopping-malls.html
and their shopping deals are awesome.Doha is a place or Qatar is a country that due to the present crisis is
offering excellent deals on shopping air tickets etc. and they respect our
people a lot.I really like its
simplicity and al the value one can get.My advice – go there at least once and look around – you might just want
to open a business there.

TAJIKISTAN

It is a fantastic country to visit and people may not know
this but it has a huge Ismaili / Aga Khani as well as Bohri and Memon
community.Donot dismiss this country as
you have a lot of sightseeing to do as well as some great food to eat – its
cheap on the wallet and really welcomes people to work with it and its
governments.It’s a great place to see
with your family for a relaxing nature based adventure and the pictures you
take will be worth framing

Which ever idiot told you that visas are an issue needs to
be corrected in public.Lets get one thing
straight. All these countries have an Embassy in Pakistan and a Consulate in
the major cities.These countries opened
these embassies to promote trade culture and an exchange of ideologies.Embassies and Consulates only ask for proper
documentation which if respected will be glad to give you a visa so that you
can go to their countries as they like UAE make money from what you spend.Embassies and consulates are NOT racist
gatekeepers there to make your lives miserable.All you need is a good travel agent who has a in house visa section to
help you fill out the forms and do the running around for you (if you are
working or a house wife) as you will or MUST submit your applications to the
embassy or their visa drop box facility IN PERSON.

I have tons of options here for all kinds of people like for
example Euro Disney is a must in Paris followed by visits to the chalets and
the Louvre (museum) or if you are interested in doing a little morethen you can get one visa from anyone country
where you will start your journey and then take the train and go to all the
other countries as well at a really reduced cost – so your kids and family get
more value at a discounted price (Schengen Visas allow that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_the_Schengen_Area
)

If you have specific requirements and really would like to
go then send me an email as this is custom tour work and I will refer you to
someone in Karachi to help you!

For now this should be enough but there are many more
options out there for you to consider as well but inbox me or email me with
your specific country that you want to visit. Bear in mind that countries like
Brazil, Finland or Iceland sound exotic but the lowest ticket fare from Karachi
to Brazil starts at US$ 5,400/- (approximately) as there are multiple flights
to be changed (Airlines) then the flight time and airport lay overs make the
journey exhausting as it is between 32 – 41 hours for the whole journey so it
is pointless to do it with small kids! (estimates given only)

Feel free to inbox me on FaceBook or Linked in if you want
any advice or help with questions about visas, destinations or anything for
that matter specially if you are travelling with kids or are disabled like me

If you would like any personal services from us please feel
free to inbox me or email me at amyn@supertravels.ae
and I will ask my team to help you in whatever way they can from Pakistan or
Dubai!

Thank you,

Amyn

P.S.PLEASE NOTE!

1.That I am in the
travel industry myself and this post is not to solicit business but to rather
inform and help people I see who really could use some sound advice rather than
going to the same old boring destinations as they are or were incorrectly
informed!

2. Even if you do not give me or my company your business I
hope that you have a great travel experience & only request that you please like /
share this post if you found any value in it!

WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SELECT A LOCAL TRAVEL PARTNER VS
ONLINE BOOKINGS & HOW TO DO SO!

When you travel it is stressful enough as it is as you have
more things on your mind to take care of before you leave and then many other
things as well because life is not really kind and the situations around you or
circumstances surprise you by throwing last minute emergencies to tackle!

With so much on your mind the last thing you need to do is
get to the airport and before you board find out that your flights or visas had
some complication due to some small print you did not read before you paid
online OR get to the end destination and were expecting an Island Paradise but
wound up in a bamboo shack in a seedy district because the online booking
portal some how made a mistake or due to the time lags did not convey the
booking correctly to “that one” dream paradise resort you wanted to visit but
was out in the boondocks so they were not so tech savvy to get the exact
booking details relayed to them!(yes
these things have happened to me where I actually booked online in Europe with
a major European hotel chain but when I got to the hotel I was informed that
the system had charged me and booked me at some other venue about 37 kilometers
away and there was no refund)

One of the major factors in reducing unwelcome surprises
during travelling anywhere (be it domestic or international) is to have a
Travel Partner or better known as a Travel Agency work with you.I always recommend a local travel partner to
anyone I know in the MENA regions vs the online booking options for the
following reasons.

1.All travel portals have some contact number (if
they do at all) run by some third party contractor sitting in some garage in a
shanty town who says his name is Alex (example) but sounds more like Vijay
(example) who really does not know how to spell your name leave alone pronounce
it!So this lack of personal attention
or human element personally for a guy like me who travels with family for
pleasure and by my self for business is a huge let down as I cannot afford
screw ups!

2.What you pay for online in countries like
Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or even Nepal & Philippines for that matter can
be very risky as these countries have fluid cyber crime laws and you can be a
victim of identity theft for one or even if you make your payment online and
you screw up then you do not get immediate refunds which can be quite a
cumbersome process to deal with.

3.The IT infrastructure in these countries along
with their own banking laws and exchange rates can really hurt you if you do
not understand the value added incentives that are often hidden.Which means that you have a budget of say US$
100/- and you see a hotel room for say US$ 89/- so you think you are good but
then when you take breakfast and a few transfers from the airport which are
hidden you fall off your chair because you were billed for all of these things
because even the local taxes were not fully shown and your bill when charged is
maybe US$ 135/-

4.The really hidden feature that I personally hate
about online travel and hospitality billing systems is that they have so much
global traffic so they batch process the orders at one time to save the costs
to pass the discounts on to you!Which
means that you book air tickets and hotels and say for example tickets to
Disney for a total of US$ 1,000/- when todays exchange rate is maybe (example)
100 Pakistani Rupees.The Dollar value
equivalent is blocked on your card and an approval is done but when the batch
processing cycle happens the equivalent in Pakistani rupees exchange rate could
have gone up to say 105 rupees (example only) so you wind up having a further
surprise!Before checking out of your
online travel portal cart you should always check if the online portal has its
own online payment gateway or uses a third party gateway (hidden processing
fees – hello!)

I do not mean to scare you but if you decide that you want
to go with a Travel partner then here are some reasons why you should always
have a “local” travel partner who has physical presence in your own country!

1.You will pay in your own country in your own
currency

2.Your own travel agents if BIG enough will pass
on additional options and discounts to you to satisfy you to keep the
relationship.

3.They will present you with an invoice which will
be detailed and a document you can view to see the exact hidden charges

4.Will have more in depth knowledge when it comes
to choosing hotels as you might travel once a while but for them their volumes
of daily travel allow them a personal insight as to how good a hotel actually
is as their customers always tell them if anything is wrong!(so maybe it will look dreamy online but your
agent will be able to tell you if its actually worth it or just will be a
disappointment)

When it comes to selecting a travel partner here are some
valuable things to keep in mind.

1.DO NOT go on what a friend will tell you or
recommend!Reasons are that if you have
a sibling then both your life experiences were different so apply the same rule
to the Travel Partner because what worked for your buddy recommending the
agency might not work with you! Also I have personally found that when people
go to travel agents from a referral of a “FRAND” yes FRAND the travel agent
assumes that the business is guaranteed and does not really give attention to
details!So look around every where and
choose for your self and do not rely upon references or Jugaar (short cuts)

2.Look at the license of the Travel agent and see
its duration of how old it is and the entire history of the agency because the
older an agency is the more likely it will be to make sure it does things right
so that it will not get a bad name!New
bright shiny exciting travel and tourism companies promise a whole lot of
things yet are unable to deliver as they rely on the old ones and their rates
are and can be a bit questionable.

3.Check out what their IATA ratings are online –
its public information you can google your self

4.If you are in a country like Pakistan then make
sure your travel agent is from a major travel hub (city) like Karachi or if in
India then Mumbai or Dehli because the volumes of flights to and from those
cities will justify the Travel Agents being in the same city as the Airline its
self so fixing issues getting more attention to detail etc. will be easier for
you in the end.

5.All Travel agents today that are good and
credible with a respectable IATA rating have an in house visa section (today
you need to apply in person for some countries like UK / USA even Thailand if
you have not visited it in 2 years or are applying for a first visa) but the
paper work can be very complicated and honest and good travel agents will have
a visa section that will go over your documents completely and advise you what
to add or deduct from the documents to submit before you spend the NON
refundable visa fees!Always note that
these travel agencies will do their best to ensure your case is as perfect as
possible because if you get the visa then they will make the money from the
travel you will do! Also maybe these
agencies might charge anywhere from US$ 50/– to US$ 75/- just to cover their
costs of attestations / photocopying or even sending a rider to get your visa
pay orders made for you!

6.Also look at the offline support that they can
give you when you are out of country in the sense that would you be able to
contact them on WhatsApp or skype or messenger in the case of an unfortunate
incident like a demise at home and you need to make immediate changes and rush
home or even extend your stay.Physical
reputed travel agencies in your home country always have the human element you
can reach out to that makes your travel experience even more comfortable which
online portals do not have as one cannot argue with a computer but your Travel
partner can fight with the Airline to get your emergencies addressed.

Bottom line when you decide upon a Travel Partner as I like
to call them make sure that you

1.Are very honest with them about everything like
your funds and budget their job is to help you like a lawyer, banker or doctor
so hiding things from them or lying to your travel partner will only cause you
further delays when it comes to getting what you want!

2.If your wallet can afford a domestic trip then
do that and forget about dreams of an Alaskan cruise which will cost a lot so
make sure you tell more details to your travel partner to get you the best
value for money

3.If you family observes Hijab or Pardah or has
special dietary restrictions like being vegetarian or have allergies to pollen
or medicines or foods also relay those to your travel agents.An accredited travel agent who has a good
reputation will always have solutions for disabled travellers or people with
special needs like me as I am partially disabled and need some special services
when I travel!Oh yes the same applies
to parents who want a relaxing experience when it come to travelling with
toddlers.

You need to know that getting a consultation from any one
travel partner does not mean that it will be market standard rates as there may
be biryani cooked in two homes but their cost in each home to make the same
dish would be different so don’t go on rates when finalizing who to go with
rather look at the value of services the Travel partner can give to you!

The world may be modern with a lot more exposure but in
trying to be more tech efficient things do get quite complicated so be wise and
choose your travel partner wisely!Not on
emotions!

I am in the travel industry myself and this post is not to
solicit business but to rather inform and help people I see who really could
use some sound advice!